Fred Whitfield is one of the foremost calf ropers in the PRCA today. He has won six World Titles in the Calf Roping and the 1999 All-Around Cowboy World Title.

Growing up in Cypress, Texas, Fred always had a passion for rodeo. He first began calf roping at the age of seven. At age nine he competed in his first little britches rodeo in Tomball, Texas. When Fred reached his teen years, it was clear that he loved the sport of rodeo and you could find him competing at amateur rodeo's and jackpots against adults.

Fred officially joined the PRCA in 1990 and quickly became known on the circuit, capturing the Resistol Rookie of the Year award. Since that time, Fred has gone on to set many arena and money records as well as be a leader and role model.

In 1991, Fred won his first Calf Roping World Championship, broke the NFR average record on 10 head of calves with a 91.7 seconds and became the first African American to win a calf roping world title and the second in the history of the PRCA to win a PRCA world title. Bull rider Charles Sampson was the first African American to win a PRCA world title and he did so in 1982.

In 1995 and 1996, Fred again won the World Championship in the Calf Roping event with the help of his horse, Moon. By this time, Fred Whitfield was well known and one of the most dominating calf ropers ever to step into the arena. During the 1997 season, Fred spent most of his time competing on Moon. When the NFR in Las Vegas rolled around, Fred went on to break his own NFR average record on 10 head of calves with a total time of 84.0 seconds aboard another great horse Reno. This record still stands today.

When the 1999 season approached, Fred decided to take things one step further. He began to team rope and found himself in the All-Around Race. Halfway through the year, it was obvious that he had a chance to be the leader in the all-around race going into the NFR. By December, Fred was honored with wearing the #1 National Finals Rodeo back number. Riding his wave of success, Fred captured not only another calf roping world title but he became the first African American in the history of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association to win the most prestigious award known as the All-Around World title.

In 2000, Fred married Cassie and later became a father when his daughter Savannah was born. In the same year, he managed to hold the first place position in the calf roping event throughout most of the season, and in December was the top ranked calf roper into the NFR. After winning two out of 10 rounds, he once again became the World Champion Calf Roper for 2000.

In 2002 the PRA (Professional Ropers Association) was organized. In November the PRA held their finals in Amarillo, Texas, in conjunction with the PRCA Steer Roping National Finals. Whitfield became the PRA's first champion. In the same year, Fred was determined to win his sixth calf roping championship. He pulled through at the last two rodeo's of the season, winning enough money to catapult him to the No. 1 spot heading into the National Finals Rodeo. With one of the most exciting performances this event has ever seen, it came down to the 10th and final round, where Whitfield won over $85,000, including first in the average, with a total of 89.0 seconds, and finishing with his sixth Calf Roping World Championship Title. That year he also finished third in the all-around race.

Whitfield's 2003 season was a turning point, not only in his professional life, but his personal life as well. It started on January 10th, where he was honored by being inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in Ft. Worth, Texas. In June, Whitfield won his second consecutive Winter Tour Finale at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and to his surprise this was where he became just the third PRCA cowboy to surpass the $2 million mark in career earnings. In early November, Fred and Cassie welcomed their second daughter, Sydney Marie, into the world. With this being one of Whitfield's most memorable years, he finished second in the calf roping world standings at the 2003 NFR.

In early 2004 Whitfield received a phone call at home by the commissioner of the PRCA and was informed that he had been chosen to be inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Being selected for induction into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame is Whitfield's greatest accomplishment of his career since joining the PRCA in 1990. On August 14th the inductions took place in Colorado Springs, Colo., and the ProRodeo Hall of Fame celebrated their 25th anniversary since opening their doors in 1979. In December, Whitfield finished the season in third place.

In 2005, Fred captured his third Tour Finale title this time at the Pace Picante ProRodeo Chute-out in Reno, Nev. There he picked up $15,000 just in time for the summer run. On September 9, Fred was inducted into the Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame. He has won three calf roping championship titles at the Historical Rodeo, known as "The Daddy of 'em All." At the Finals that year, Fred captured his seventh calf roping world title and eighth title overall after placing in five out of the 10 rounds and winning a total of $168,782.

During the 2006 National Finals, Fred battled through back and shoulder pains and immediately following its conclusion he went to the doctor where they scheduled surgery on January 5, 2007. He had the surgery in Dallas to remove bone spurs from his C-5 and C-6 vertebrae. While tending to his back, doctors also examined his shoulder and recommended he have rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder immediately. So at the end of January he had shoulder surgery.

Also following the 2006 NFR, Fred got a call telling him that his famed horse, Moon, had broken his hip and had to be put down. Fred bought Moon in the fall of 1992 and rode him until 2001 winning four world titles (1995-96, 1999 and 2000) on him.

Fred plans to return to competition at the 88th annual Reno (Nev.) Rodeo in mid-June with the services of his horses Gator and Hays.

Fred returned to competition at the 88th annual Reno (Nev.) Rodeo in mid-June with the services of his horses Gator and Hays. Knowing that he only had three months to try and qualify for the NFR, Fred set-out to hit every PRCA rodeo he could in an attempt to qualify for this 18th consecutive Finals. When the season came to a close on Sept. 30, Fred was ranked 37th in the world with $30,111 in earnings and fell short of his bid for his 18th NFR. However, Fred did win the $100,000 round at the Calgary Stampede in July of 2007, but the money won didn’t count toward the PRCA World Standings as the Calgary Stampede is not a sanctioned event.

Come January, Fred will be ready to hit all the big winter rodeos with the goal of returning to the NFR in 2008.

Fred Whitfield is proudly sponsored by: Cinch Jeans, P and P Trailer Sales, Cimarron Trailers, United States Army, and Southwest Fabricators. Fred continues to have a growing fan base and is recognized as one of the greatest Pro Rodeo Cowboys of all time.

If you would like to know how to be apart of Team Whitfield, and would like to share in being a national sponsor for Fred Whitfield, you can contact Fred via e-mail at: fw@fredwhitfield.com.